Dispensers for webs, such as tissue paper or nonwoven webs are well known. They can be divided into two general types. The first type comprises stack dispensers in which the web to be dispensed is stored in stacks inside the dispenser, and adjacent sheets of the web are interfolded or joined in some way. Dispensers of the second type are roll dispensers, in which the web to be dispensed is stored in the dispenser on a roll.
WO 98/37794 discloses rolled and folded napkins, which can be dispensed individually or two or three at a time as desired, depending on the dispensing method.
US 2006/0184148 describes folded fibrous structures, which may be in roll form.
GB 2 400 596 describes a roll of frangibly connected portions. The presence of frangible connections obviates the need for perforations.
GB 2 002 327 discloses a wet tissue container in which a drawing member is made of highly elastic material with a fine diameter hole through which tissue is drawn.
EP 0 953 516 discloses a tissue box in which the dispensing insert is made of a material with high resilience, so that it reverts to its initial shape without losing its elastic properties.
The present invention addresses problems associated with known webs and dispensers. One problem with known dispensers and their associated webs is ensuring that the web is dispensed in a consistent manner, i.e. that the same length of web is dispensed each time. To achieve this, a web is often perforated to define sheets. However—in particular if the dispenser only has a small opening, as in GB 2 002 327—the web may become folded, or twisted (“roped”) at the point of dispensing, so that the perforation line between adjacent sheets also becomes twisted or deformed. The perforation line therefore becomes less able to promote accurate separation of the sheets along its length (i.e. across the width of the web). As a result, the web can tear at undesired positions, or fail to tear at all. The outcome is often double-dispensing, in which two sheets are dispensed simultaneously.
Another problem associated with dispensers and their webs is that the free end of the web often falls back inside the dispenser, or the web breaks within the dispenser, meaning that a user has to open the dispenser each time, locate the free end of the web and thread it through the dispensing opening. Furthermore, if the web in the dispenser is moist (i.e. wet wipes), is needs to be prevented from drying out.
Despite developments in the field of web dispensers, there remains a need for a dispenser for web stored in roll or stack form, from which easy, consistent dispensing of the web is possible.